The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.

— Neil Gaiman

I started this blog nearly a year ago with the intention of it being a makeshift portfolio of ideas as I prepared to apply for a master’s program in Human-Centered Design and Engineering. My intent was to explore how items and ideas could be shaped, developed and utilized in ways that align with and support a human’s natural inclinations. How do we design a world that works for us? How do we build products and habits that facilitate a state of flow?

A year ago, I was incredibly tired but attributed it, in full, to a highly stressful work environment. This blog was my first step to get out and move on to something more meaningful. Within six weeks of my first posting, I was diagnosed with disseminated valley fever, which took this little blog on a wild and unanticipated detour. While I’m still not out of the woods yet, I’m on a regimen that seems to be working for me. I’m sleeping a bit less, and functioning a bit better.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about my intentions when stabbing my flag into this little digital space. As I approach the one-year mark, I’m considering what it has become and where it may go. So far, I’ve covered health, design, wisdom, stories, relationships, personal finance, vegan cooking, privacy, future technology and more. Each of these areas excite me, but I would love your feedback as we move forward.

What would you like to see me write about?

I want to fill a bucket with ideas and them flesh them out and offer them back to you. I want to inspire laughter, joy, deep thinking and introspection. I want to, somehow, give you whatever it is that you need in your life right now.

Do you have a favorite post from the archives or topic I’ve explored?

Do you prefer the bits of wisdom and lessons learned, funny stories or practical advice?

Do you want to know which books, podcasts and songs I consume most voraciously?

Would you like to hear about my morning and evening routines of what I eat to fuel my body?

Would you like to know my thoughts on organized religion, the media and how these entities trick people into giving away their rights and power?

Do you want to know what my favorite objects, artwork and articles of clothing are?

Do you want to hear the story of the Amway girl, corralling two strangers’ basset hounds back into their backyard or the vegan shit-loaf I brought to Christmas dinner?

Do you want to know why I prefer tea over coffee?

Do you want to know where I would donate my money if I had excess to burn?

Do you want more short stories, poetry or everyday anecdotes?

And by the way, everything in life is writable about, if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.

— Sylvia Plath

Each day you sit down to write, we face different challenges to your writing. We may be tired, uninspired or distracted, but we must still choose show up, put pen to paper and create something new.

I invite your comments, suggestions, feedback and anything else you’d like to contribute!

By the way, how do you decide what to write about? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

I’m honestly most interested in what *you* want to write about … or wanted to, before it all got hijacked by your health, so to speak.

“My intent was to explore how items and ideas could be shaped, developed and utilized in ways that align with and support a human’s natural inclinations. How do we design a world that works for us? How do we build products and habits that facilitate a state of flow?”

… sounds pretty good to me. I’d like to see other stuff, yeah sure. I think I mentioned that before, but I don’t recall if I voted for fiction or poems or something else.

But in this context, now that I know more about your original intentions, they just got a vote up from me. You have more than proven to me that you are an intelligent, empathetic and interesting writer, with a unique background and outlook.

So I’d certainly like to hear more about what you have to say on designing “a world that works for us”!

Religions & religious history are some of my favorite subjects, so yes, I would like to hear your thoughts on those topics.

I don’t enjoy fashion/clothing blogs at all but do sometimes get interested in other people’s thoughts on favorite objects & art.

The stories about the Amway girl & the vegan shitloaf sound amusing. In fact, I think I remember reading your post about the vegan shitloaf for Christmas dinner. Or maybe that was someone else’s? I can’t always rely on the accuracy of my aging brain.

If there’s a funny, poignant, or otherwise interesting story behind why you prefer tea to coffee, I’m all ears.

I’m not as interested in where you’d donate your money if you had it to burn as much as I am in just knowing you would if you could.

I like short stories, poetry, & everyday anecdotes as long as they’re relatively brief & easily digestible.

I don’t put much thought into what to write about. I often just post my thoughts on books/audiobooks I’ve recently read. On the rare occasions I’m inspired to write a short story or poem, I post it when I’m happy with the finished product. Sometimes I’m moved to post about my kids or other aspects of my life as a father, husband, or probation officer.

It’s thoughtful of you to solicit our input, but you’ll be happier writing whatever you want to write about!

Just wanted to say, I love your site. It doesn’t really have a specific topic, but I like how it’s just YOU. And like the other comments above, your original “intent” for the site sounds super interesting! Personally, I like when you give some insight on your illness and just reflections and experiences based around that, because I feel like that’s an area that a few people can relate to, but also an area that the rest of us are really curious about!

I suppose what attracted me to your blog in the first place was your writing about illness–because I have a chronic illness. Not sure if that’s helpful information.

Out of those options, I would take the tea/coffee question. But then out of those topics, that’s what I’d write about. I’d base it around one or a couple of amusing anecdotes, throw in a pun, and illustrate the whole she-bang. (which is probably not how you would do it).

It think what matters is what you want. You do you, and then people who resonate with it will come.

Aw, thank you! I also enjoy fiction, so maybe I’ll start including some short stories. 🙂
Ooh, turning the tables on me! I simply love writing–it cathartic and give me a sense of connection to other people. Good question, though. I think focusing on what I want or feel like writing is the best course of action, both for me and for those who might somehow benefit from my thoughts. 🙂

You’re very welcome! ^ ^
Haha, wonderful answer 🙂 writing about something you love or are passionate about (or both), it always brings out the brightest colours ^ ^
It’s good to dip your toes in other pools sometimes though, and all writing is amazing! ^ ^ ❤

I like to read Inspiring short stories infact My blog’s moto is also the on same and travel contents…
If you ask how i decide what to write that again depends on your Blog’s moto..
When I started my blog it was just inspiring short stories, then I found there’s more to explore…. Find what you like.. it could be poems, tourism, social facts, history anything..